Re: [Harp-L] gig (about solos)

["steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've gotten better at laying out as I get older, but my improvised solos still suck bigtime.   I don't play much blues and if I stay away from blues for awhile, I am just not good at it.   I always looked to Mickey Raphael and his work with Willie Nelson as a great example of less is  more.
He never plays a lot in any song and he's managed to stay employed for lo these many years.
Steve Webb in Minnesota

---- Doug H <dough.harpl@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
> I'd be pretending if I claimed I could muster a good solo, original or otherwise, but that doesn't stop me from knowing what I like.
> 
> Rainbow Jimmy said: <snip>
> 
> >Also--I think harmonica sounds better in small doses, so I'm going to get
> >the courage to be on stage with just bass, drums and guitar, and play
> >nothing for large section of the song. If they want to play for 15 minutes
> >that's fine--I'll put in my 60 second solo and then sit out.
> >-- 
> >Rainbow Jimmy
> 
> My all-time favourite example of the less is more school of soloing is the guitar solo on "After Midnight" off of J.J. Cale's album, "Naturally".  
> 
> If you listen to the specific cut off this album you will walk away remembering how amazing and tastefully right-on the guitar was.  But later when you listen again you realize that he only solo'd for a few bars on the whole cut.  He makes no attempt at flash, and even slips down in the mix at one point.  Super human restraint.
> 
> "Quality gets remembered; quantity fades away."  -anonymous.
> 
> Harp content:  Ed Colis does a good job playing down in the mix, weaving in and out of the horn section on "The Woman I Love" off the same album.  (Use headphones.)
> 
> Doug H